Nigerian Government Promises 20-Hour Daily Power Supply By 2027 Amid Constant National Grid Collapse
The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, has pledged that citizens will have access to at least 20 hours of electricity per day by 2027. However, this goal is contingent upon significant growth in investments within the oil and gas sector, according to officials.
Olu Verheijen, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, made this announcement during the African Energy Week held in Cape Town, South Africa. The statement, released by Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Director of Information and Publicity at the State House, emphasized the government’s commitment to improving power supply in urban areas and industrial hubs. “By 2027, Nigeria aims to ensure 20 hours of electricity daily for consumers in these areas,” Verheijen stated.
The announcement was part of a broader invitation to global investors to engage with Nigeria’s energy sector, under the title: ‘At African Energy Week in Cape Town, Olu Verheijen Invites Global Players to Invest in Nigeria’s Energy Sector.’
This promise comes against the backdrop of frequent and severe power grid collapses that have left large parts of Nigeria in darkness. Just recently, on Thursday morning, Fusion Chronicles Nigeria reported another collapse of the national power grid—the second such incident within three days—resulting in widespread blackouts.
The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the outage in a circular, noting, “We experienced a system outage today, 07 November 2024, at 11:29 hours, affecting supply within our network. Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders.” The situation was also acknowledged on social media, with a post from the popular handle of the Nigeria National Grid stating, “Another Grid Setback Experienced.”
This latest disruption highlights the ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s power sector, even as the government sets ambitious targets for improved electricity access.
